Typewriting machine



P 7, 1933- G. F. HANDLEY 1,799,? 55

TYPEWRT'? T NG MACHINE Filed April 17, 1928 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE enonen F. HANDLEY, or GLENDALE, NEW yonx, ASSIGNQR 'ro ROYAL 'rvrn'wmrnn COMPANY, 1110., or new YORK, n.1, A CORPORATION or'nnw YORK TYPEWRITING MACHINE Applicationfiled April 17,

In certain types of type actions, each type bar normally occupies a position at one side of a vertical plane containing the pivot of the bar, and when in printing position the bar occupies a position on the other side of said vertical plane. Thus during the first part of the return movement, the bar is moved upwardly against the force of gravity. Here tofore a single spring has been employed to 10 return the entire type action to normal position, and, by'reason of the bar moving upwardly against the force of gravity during the first part of its return movement, an additional load is placed on the single spring during this period which results in the lagging of the type bar return movement and a consequent reduction in the speed of the type bar action.

The principal object of this invention lies in the provision of means for overcoming the above defect whereby the speed travel of the type bar during the first part of its return movement will be unaffected by the force of gravity and whereby a substantially uniform 95 speed travel of the type bar during its return movement will be obtained.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of my invention,

Figure l is a side elevation of a type action with parts in normal position and showing the type bar in dot and dash lines just before it reaches the vertical position in its movement to the printing point.

Fi ure 2 is a simllar view but showing the type ar in printing position.

Although applicable-to typewriting machines of different types, the invention is here illustrated in connection with the usual type action employed in the Royal portable machine in which key levers A are pivoted on a rod B and each key lever has an upward and rearwardly extending arm C provided with a pin D which overlies the upper edge of a front link E ivoted on a rod F.

A spring is secured at one end to the front link and at the other end to a spring anchorage. The rear end of the front link is connected by a link H to the heel of a type bar K pivoted on the usual pivot wire L in a segment M, the pivotal connection it 1928. Serial 'No; 270,701.

horizontal plane containing the pivot L of.

the type bar. A platen O is disposed in rear. of and in a plane abovethe segment M. The key lever A- and'the'associated parts are retained in their normal positions by the main spring G. When the key lever A is depressed the type bar K is swung rearwardly on its pivot L to the printing point as shown in Figure 2. The type bar thus travels upwardly and rearwardly while in front of a vertical plane XX containing the pivot L of the type bar and then downwardly and rearwardly from the vertical plane to the printing point. During this entire rearward travel of the type bar, the spring G is placed under tension wherebyupon release of the key lever-the type bar and the associated parts will be returned to'their normal positions as shown in-full lines in Figure 1.

During the first part of the return or forward movement of the type bar, that is, from the printing point to the vertical plane X-X, the movement of the type bar is not assisted by gravity; whereas the movement of the type bar during the last part of its return movement, that is, from said'vertical plane X-X to the type bar rest N, is assisted by gravity. As a result of this condition, as thus far described, there is a lagging in the type bar return movement from the printing point to said vertical plane.

In order to overcome the above defect, I have provided an auxiliary coil spring 5 having one end connected to a spring anchorage 6 which is secured to the type bar rest Niand having its'other end secured to the type bar at the point 7 which is normally located below and in front of the type bar pivot L as shown in Figure 1. The point of connection between the spring 5 and the anchorage 6 is located in a horizontal plane containing the pivot L of the type bar, and consequently, when the type bar is moved upwardly and rearwardly during the first part of its printing movement, that is, to

vi i) the dotted line position shown in Figure l, the point 7 will traverse an arc concentric with the pivot L, and will be in its original vertical plane.

Therefore the auxiliary spring 5 will not be placed under tension during the first part of the printing movement. During the last part of its printing movement, that is, from the vertical plane XX or from a point slightly in front thereof, the auxiliary spring 5 will be placed under tension. \Vhen the key is released both springs G and 5 cooperate to move the type bar upwardly andv forwardly in its return movement from its printing position to the vertical plane XX or to a point slightly in front of said plane. the auxiliary spring 5 serving to overcome the force of gravity exerted on the type bar during the first part of its return movement. After the type bar in its return movement has reached a point where the auxiliary spring 5 ceases to function, the spring G serves as the sole means for returning the type arm to its initial or normal position. As a result of the application of the two springs in the manner above described. the speed travel of the type bar is substantially uniform throughout its return movement, and consequently a faster type action is obtained.

It will be also observed that positive means is provided for swinging the type bar from its initial position to its printing postion; that the main spring G functions during the entire return movement of the lia r. and that the auxiliary spring 5 functions only during the first part of the return movement of the type bar while the bar is moving from its printing position to a point in proximity to the vertical plane X-X containing the pivot L of said bar.

It will be noted that this spring does not come into,operation until the type bar has moved approximately half Way to the printing point and therefore adds no appreciable resistance to the movement of the type action. The type bar moves to the printing point mainly under momentum and the auxiliary spring is employed without its effect being at all noticeable in the touch of the type action. i

Obviously the particular physical embodiment of the invention may be widely varied without in any Way departing from the spirit thereof which is to be regarded as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a type bar pivoted to swing upwardly and rearwardly from one side of a vertical plane containing the pivot of the type bar and then downwardly and rearwardly from said vertical plane to its printing position, positive means for swinging said type bar from its initial position to its printing position, and yieldable means for automatically returning said type bar to its initial position including a main spring operable during the entire return movement of the type bar, and an auxiliary spring operable only during the first part of the return movement while the arm is moving from its printing position to a point in proximity to said vertical plane, said auxiliary spring being located in front of the type bar and having one end directly connected to said bar at a point above the pivot thereof.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a type bar pivoted to swing upwardly and rearwardly from one side of a vertical plane containing the pivot of the type bar and then downwardly and rearwardly from said vertical plane to its printing position, posit've means for swinging said type. bar from its initial position to its printing position, and yieldable means for automatically returning said type bar to its initial position including a main spring operable during the entire return movement oi the type arm and an auxiliary spring operable only during the first part of the return movement while the arm is moving from its printing position to a point in proximity to said vertical plane,

said auxliary spring having its front end cured to an anchorage located in front of said pivot and in substantially the horizontal plane containing the. saline and having its rear end connected to the type arm, the point of connection between the auxiliary spring and the type arm being movable from a position below to a position above the pivot of the arm during the printing movement of arm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE F. HANDLEY. 

